Professor Võ Tòng Xuân, known as the “Rice Wizard,” made significant contributions to Vietnamese agriculture.
According to sources from Can Tho University, Professor Dr. Võ Tòng Xuân, a People’s Teacher and Honorary Rector of the university, passed away this morning (April 19) at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.
Born in 1940 in An Giang, Professor Dr. Võ Tòng Xuân was renowned as a leading expert with numerous contributions in the field of agricultural science and research in Vietnam. He also served as an agricultural expert in Vietnam, assisting regional countries with food security issues.
Professor Dr. Võ Tòng Xuân passed away at the age of 84 (Photo: Nguyễn Nguyễn).
In 1971, while his career was flourishing at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) with a salary of thousands of USD per month and a modern working environment, he chose to return to Vietnam for a lower salary, driven by the desire to train a team of agricultural engineers for his homeland at the invitation of the rector of Can Tho University.
His love for science and the longing to rebuild the country flowed strongly within him, enabling him to rise above hardships.
After returning to Vietnam, he worked at Can Tho University, where he collaborated with Japanese researchers to continue projects related to rice cultivation techniques and published numerous scientific articles to disseminate agricultural techniques and policies.
The agricultural revolution in Vietnam was significantly propelled by Professor Dr. Võ Tòng Xuân’s efforts in inventing and promoting disease-resistant rice varieties, contributing to global food security.
He played a crucial role in the distribution of IR36 rice variety across regions frequently affected by pests in the Mekong Delta and collaborated with farmers to implement advanced transplanting techniques.
Thanks to these initiatives, Professor Xuân expanded access to quality rice seeds and increased rice production at lower costs without using harmful chemicals.
Professor Võ Tòng Xuân played a crucial role in the distribution of the IR36 rice variety, positively impacting the lives of millions worldwide (Photo: Getty).
Thanks to the efforts of Professor Xuân and his colleagues, the widespread distribution of IR36 and other rice varieties significantly contributed to increasing rice productivity, reaching an output of up to 600 million tons by the 2000s.
In addition to IR36, the IR64 rice variety has also been widely cultivated on over 10 million hectares within two decades since its introduction to the market. Not only well-known domestically, his research has also provided significant benefits to poor countries in Africa, positively impacting the lives of millions around the globe.
Professor Xuân once shared: “Those who understand me know that I do not pursue professional desires if it is not for the farmers.” Deeply influenced by the teachings of Uncle Ho, Professor Xuân always reminded himself that: “If our farmers are prosperous, our country is prosperous. If our agriculture thrives, our country thrives.”
Professor Võ Tòng Xuân was the first Vietnamese scientist honored at the VinFuture Prize for his work, “Invention and Promotion of Disease-Resistant Rice Varieties.” (Photo: VinFuture Prize).
The “father figure” of the IR36 rice variety always believed that if he could find ways to help farmers achieve higher yields with less struggle, then he had truly “met his goals.”
In December 2023, Professor Võ Tòng Xuân became the first Vietnamese scientist to be honored at the VinFuture Prize for his work on “Invention and Promotion of Disease-Resistant Rice Varieties.”
Prior to this, Professor Võ Tòng Xuân was conferred the title of Professor of Agriculture (1980), Labor Hero (1985), and served as a National Assembly representative for three consecutive terms (II, III, IV).
